With up to one-third of all children and adolescents qualifying as obese, childhood weight problems have become a public health crisis. Although the factors leading children to become overweight are complex, poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, overeating, medical illnesses, certain medications, low self-esteem, mood disorders and a family history of obesity can all contribute to unhealthily high weights in youth. Carrying extra body fat can pose a number of physical, mental and emotional health hazards.
Early Puberty
In some children, excess body fat may contribute to an earlier onset of puberty, also known as precocious puberty. According to a study published in the June 2001 edition of "Pediatrics," a high body mass index in female toddlers -- as well as a significant rise in body mass index scores between the age of three and the start of first grade -- is associated with an early occurrence of physical changes that accompany puberty, including breast development beginning by age nine. Along with an increased risk of reproductive cancer, precocious puberty may lead to behavioral problems, psychosocial stress, earlier sexual activity and earlier start of alcohol use.
Adult Obesity
Compared to their healthy weight peers, children who are overweight are at significantly greater risk for weight issues -- and the accompanying health problems -- during adulthood. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an overweight adolescent has a 70-percent chance of being overweight or obese as an adult, and an 80-percent chance if at least one of his parents is also overweight. When childhood obesity spills into adulthood, conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, high cholesterol, gout, heart disease, gall bladder disease, liver disease, reproductive problems and arthritis can result.
Chronic Conditions
Being overweight or obese can predispose children to a variety of childhood medical problems. Children carrying unhealthy amounts of body fat may be at risk for pre-diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, breathing problems, gastro-intestinal diseases and hip problems. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that 70 percent of obese youth have one or more risk factors for heart disease.
Mental Health
Although childhood obesity often results in physical problems, overweight children also face a heavy psychological burden. Mental health hazards associated with weight problems during youth include low self-esteem and depression, which may be associated with the bullying, teasing and social stigmatization that often come from being overweight. Overweight children may also face anxiety in physical education classes or other situations where their extra weight makes performance more difficult.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Childhood Obesity
- University of Michigan Health System: Your Child: Obesity and Overweight; Kyla Boyse
- "Pediatrics"; Age of Puberty Among Girls and the Diagnosis of Precocious Puberty; Lee et al.; June 2001
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Obesity in Children and Teens; May 2008
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Obesity
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